Shloka 2

अनुशासनपर्व अध्याय ९३ — तपस्, सदोपवास, विघसाशन, अतिथिप्रियता

Austerity, regulated fasting, residual-eating, and hospitality

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच ब्राह्मणान्‌ न परीक्षेत क्षत्रियो दानधर्मवित्‌ | दैवे कर्मणि पित्र्ये तु न्यायमाहुः परीक्षणम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca brāhmaṇān na parīkṣeta kṣatriyo dānadharmavit | daive karmaṇi pitrye tu nyāyam āhuḥ parīkṣaṇam ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ! ଦାନଧର୍ମ ଜାଣୁଥିବା କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ଦେବକର୍ମରେ (ଯଜ୍ଞ-ଯାଗାଦିରେ) ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କୁ ପରୀକ୍ଷା କରିବା ଉଚିତ୍ ନୁହେଁ; କିନ୍ତୁ ପିତୃକର୍ମରେ (ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧାଦିରେ) ସେମାନଙ୍କ ପରୀକ୍ଷା ନ୍ୟାୟସଙ୍ଗତ ବୋଲି ମନାଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• परीक्षेत: should examine/test
• Type: Verb
• Root: परीक्ष्
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्षत्रियः: a Kshatriya
• क्षत्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दानधर्मवित्: knower of the duty of giving (charity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दानधर्मविद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दैवे: in a divine/ritual (god-related) context
• दैवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैव
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कर्मणि: in the rite/action
• कर्मणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पित्र्ये: in the ancestral (pitṛ-related) context
• पित्र्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पित्र्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तु: but/however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• न्यायम्: proper/right (as justice)
• न्यायम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आहुः: they say
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• परीक्षणम्: examination/testing
• परीक्षणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परीक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmins
• Kshatriya
• Devas (gods)
• Pitrs (ancestors)
• King (addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma distinguishes between two ritual domains: in god-centered rites (yajña etc.) a patron-king should not ‘test’ Brahmins, whereas in ancestor rites (śrāddha) scrutiny is considered appropriate—implying greater concern for eligibility and purity in pitṛ-karmas.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma to the king (Yudhiṣṭhira), he lays down a rule of conduct for Kshatriya patrons regarding how they should relate to Brahmin officiants in different kinds of rituals—prohibiting examination in daiva rites but permitting it in pitṛ rites.